


Haunting

by Thefemalearrow



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cheating, Ghosts, Multi, Purgatory, Serial Killers, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:48:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24914890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thefemalearrow/pseuds/Thefemalearrow
Summary: After a new killer leaves Betty in Sweetwater River, the remaining core four end up getting help from a strange source.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Betty snuck into the basement of the old house. She had gotten a tip that this would lead her to who has been causing the latest string of murder in Riverdale.  
As she walked around, she found a dartboard with a name fo all of the dead girls. Under the list was a photo of her. That's when she felt a knife entered her back.  
There was an eerie silence as Betty gasped for air. The knife left her back and she collapsed to the floor. Her vision got blurry as her attacker grabbed her arms and dragged her up a flight of stairs. Her back hit the wooden stairs made her wound worse.  
They arrived at Sweetwater River. Her attacker threw the body into the river. He then left as the lifeless body was swept into the current.  
\---  
The next morning, Cheryl and Toni decided to skip school and have a picnic at Sweetwater River. They held each other's hands and they smiled at each other. They got out of the car. "Babe, what's that in the river?" Toni asked.  
"I don't know," Cheryl said. She then went to get a closer look. "Oh my gosh."  
"What is it, babe?" Toni asked.  
"Call the cops, I think this is a dead body," Cheryl said. Due to the body being on its stomach, Cheryl was unable to identify the body. All Cheryl could do was tell that the person was female.  
A few moments later, Officer Jones and his squad arrived. The body is pulled out of the water, and FP immediately recognized who it was. Tears started welling up in his eyes. "What is it, Officer Jones?" Cheryl asked.  
"You need to leave," FP said. "This is now a crime scene. Go with Officer Willis so you guys can answer a few questions."  
Toni then looked over at the stretcher. She recognized that the body was Betty's. "Yeah, we should head out," Toni said. She then leads Cheryl to the car.  
"Who was it on the stretcher?" Cheryl asked.  
"I'll tell you later," Toni stated.  
\---  
After Betty's funeral, Jughead was sitting in Betty's room. He was reminiscing about all of the good times they had. His dad and everyone believed that Betty was a victim of the dolly killer, a new killer that targeted teenage girls, but Jughead had a feeling this was the work of Penny Peabody. She had always threatened Betty.  
Jughead picked up a photo. It was of him, Betty, Archie, and Veronica on a camping trip. It was the summer before senior year started. Jughead smiled softly, remembering better times.  
Jughead then felt a cold presence. He felt like someone was in the room with him, but he couldn't see anyone. That's when the picture frame started levitating. "Who's there?" Jughead asked.  
"It's me Jughead," Betty's voice said.


	2. Chapter 2

When Betty's body was dropped into the river, Betty never lost consciousness. She just floated there while she waited for her attacker to leave. When she felt it was safe, she got up and walked out of the river. She ran to the police station, she opened the door. She went to the receptionist.  
"Hey I have evidence on the Dolly killer case," Betty informed the receptionist. "I need to talk to Sherrif Jones."  
The receptionist then looked up. "Who's there?" he asked.  
"Hi, it's me, Betty Cooper," Betty said. The person then looked around and seemed to be annoyed.  
"I must be hearing things again," he sighed. Betty looked confused as Sherrif Jones and Deputy James entered the room.  
"FP, hey I have evidence on the Dolly killer case," Betty said. "I saw a dartboard with all of the victims' names on it. I was attacked, but I managed to get away. Are you even listening to me?"  
"It's just dead end after dead end," FP said. "I have found nothing on the case."  
"We can't just give up," Deputy James said. "You should head home. You've been working for almost three days. Your kids are probably worried sick. I'll cover for you. Just go to bed, get something to eat, take a shower, and get any other affairs you have in order. Come back tomorrow at twelve."  
FP sighed. "Fine."  
He then left, walking straight threw Betty. A wave of confusion hit Betty. She decided to go back to Sweetwater River and she gasped. Her body was floating in the river on its stomach. Betty realized she was now a ghost in purgatory.  
\---  
Betty spent the next few days figuring out how being a ghost worked. If she concentrated hard enough, she could touch an object. People could hear her, but no one could see her. So she stayed in the attic since it was rare anyone ever went up there.  
That Saturday was Betty's funeral. It was held at her house due to it being a serpent tradition. It felt weird seeing her friends and family mourning her death since she was right there.  
After the service, Betty noticed Jughead had snuck away to her bedroom. She followed him. She stood in a corner as he walked around the room. As Jughead stared at the photo, Bett decided to show Jughead that she was there. She then picked up the picture frame. "Who's there?" Jughead asked.  
"It's me Jughead," Betty said.  
"No you're not, you're dead," Jughead said. "Your body is in the coffin downstairs."  
"I am dead," Betty said. "My dead is in that coffin. I am a ghost. How else are you going to explain the floating picture frame?"  
"Jughead, are you up here?" a voice called out. Toni and Cheryl poked their heads threw the doorway and almost screamed when they saw the floating picture frame.  
"So you also see the floating picture frame?" Jughead asked. Toni nods her head frantically. "Well, I think this is Betty's ghost."  
"That's me," Betty said. Before she could elaborate more, Veronica and Archie joined the group. They were also both startled when they saw the floating picture frame. "Why don't we just invite everyone up here?"  
"Betty?" Archie asked.  
"Yes, it's me," Betty snapped. "I'm a ghost now and I'm stuck in purgatory."  
"Oh," Archie said.  
"Do you know what your unfinished business is?" Cheryl asked.  
"I think I have to discover who the Dolly Killer is," Betty stated. "I was in his basement when I was stabbed. I just need to get a second look at his dartboard."  
"We'll go tonight," Veronica said. "Well stay guard while you go in and get a few photos of what you need."  
"Ok, let's do it," Jughead said.  
\---  
When it was thirty minutes till ten, they arrived at the house Betty had broken into the night of her murder. "You guys wait out here," Betty said. "He won't be able to see me, but he'll be able to see you."  
"Ok," Jughead said. Veronica gave Betty her phone. She walked threw the wall and ended up in the house's kitchen. She went to the stairs that lead to the basement and she descended down them. She saw that there was a stain on the rug that was from her blood.  
She looked at the dartboard. There was now a red ex on her photo to show that she had been executed. The thing under her picture disturbed her more. It showed that the next victim was none other than Jellybean Jones.


	3. Chapter 3

Betty continued to study the board. She noticed that Jellybean's photo, unlike the others, didn't have a red ex on it. That meant Jellybean wasn't dead yet. So Betty snapped a quick photo and she ran upstairs and back outside. "I got a photo, but we have to get to Jughead's house now," Betty said.  
"Why?" Veronica asked.  
"I saw that Jellybean was the next on the Dolly Killer's list," Betty said. They then sped off to the Jones residence.  
\---  
Jellybean was in her room, playing Minecraft on her X-Box 360. She then heard the sound of glass shattering. Jellybean paused her game and she walked over to the broken window with caution. Someone had thrown a rock threw it.  
She then heard the front door open. Her dad was at work and Jughead was doing something with his friends so she knew it had to be an intruder. So she dove under her bed and hid there. She was quiet as the intruder entered her room.  
"Where is that brat?" a masculine voice said. Jellybean made sure to not make a single noise. The intruder got on his knees and looked under the bed. He made eye contact with the preteen girl. He pulled her out from under the bed by her legs. She started kicking him.  
"Shut up," the masked man said. He slapped her, making sure to claw her face. She was bleeding from her cheek. He then used her being distracted to stab her hand, pinning it to the ground.  
"I'm going to kill you as I killed your brother's girlfriend," he taunted. As he was about to slit her throat, there was a gunshot. He pulled the knife from Jellybean's hand and jumped out the window. Jughead entered her bedroom.  
"Jellybean, are you ok?" Jughead asked.  
"Kinda," Jellybean said. "How did you know I was being attacked?"  
"I'll explain it to you in the car," Jughead said. They then rush down the stairs and they get into the car. Jughead then drove off.


	4. Chapter 4

Once they arrived at Veronica's house and Jellybean's wound was wrapped up, they told her what was going on. "So ghosts are a thing now," Jellybean said. "Why am I not surprised?"  
"I don't even know if I'm the only ghost," Betty said. "There could be hundreds of lost souls in Riverdale, waiting for their murders to be solved so they can move on."  
"I just read the Wikipedia article on ghosts," Jughead said, as he was hunched over his laptop. "It says only other ghosts can see a ghost. It also says that if a ghost moves fast enough, their physical form can be seen."  
"Ok," Betty said.  
"So what now?" Veronica asked. "We don't know if he's going to go after JB again or if he's going to move on to another target. What if he kills someone else and then goes after Jellybean again?"  
"Some of us should stay with JB while the others cruise the streets and see if the Dolly Killer strikes again," Betty said. It was decided Betty, Toni, and Jughead would cruise the streets while Archie, Cheryl, and Veronica stayed at Pembrook. Betty, Toni, and Jughead then left the house.  
\---  
Kevin was sitting at the shoreline of Sweetwater River. He starred at his reflection. He needed to be alone. He knew it was dangerous to be alone while there was a serial killer running around, but he needed to be alone so he can think.  
Kevin then felt his face being shoved under the water. He tried to claw at the hand, but the hand was too strong for Kevin to remove. As his vision became blurry, he saw a reflection of a serpent jacket. His world then went black.  
\---  
On the other side of Sweetwater River, Sabrina Spellman felt something was going down in Riverdale. She decided to pack her bags and go there so she can check out whatever was going on. "You should let me come with you," Ambrose said. "It's too dangerous for you to go by yourself."  
"I'm sure it's nothing you should be too worried about," Sabrina said. "I'm just doing it since it's my job to check it out. Tell our aunties that I'll be back in a few days. If they ask, I'm going camping with Ros."  
"Alright," Ambrose said. Sabrina then went to her car and got in. She then drove off.


	5. Chapter 5

Betty, Toni, and Jughead weren't able to find anything. They decided to regroup at Pops. They sat in the back so they don't bring attention to themselves. "We can't give up," Betty said. "We have to be missing something."  
"The Dolly Killer has stricken again," a news reporter said. They then turn to the TV. "The infamous serial killer has taken his first male victim in Kevin Keller. The boy's body was found in Sweetwater River. He was drowned to death. An investigation is still going on."  
"Kevin," Betty said.  
"Do you think that Kevin is also a ghost?" Toni asked.  
"I think it's a possibility," Betty said. "We should check near Sweetwater River."  
"You guys can go," Jughead said. "I think I'm going to go back to base to check on JB."  
"Ok," Toni said. The trio then finishes their dinner and they separate.  
\---  
Betty and Toni arrive at Sweetwater River. They didn't see or hear Kevin, but they did see a girl with platinum blonde hair. "Hello, my name is Sabrina," the girl introduced. "I'm a witch. And I know there is a ghost with you."  
"How do you know that?" Toni asked.  
"My dad is the old king of the Underworld," Sabrina said."It's my job to know these kinds of things."  
"We're trying to solve my murder so I can move on and more people don't end up like me," Betty said.  
"I can help you," Sabrina said. She then cast a spell that made Betty appear. She had a ghostly glow to her.  
"Thank you," Betty said.  
"No problem," Sabrina said. "Now let's get back to work."  
\---  
Jughead was almost home when a cloth hit his face. It was drenched in chloroform. He struggled, trying to scratch his attacker's face. He eventually succumbed to the darkness.  
His attacker threw him in the back of his car. He got into the driver's side and he sped off.


	6. Chapter 6

Toni, Sabrina, and Betty arrived at Pembrook. "Who is this?" Cheryl asked. "Also Betty, I can see you."  
"This is Sabrina," Betty said. "She's a witch and I think she also mentioned being related to the king of the Underworld. She cast a spell on me so I can be seen by the living."  
"I've come to help you guys find this killer," Sabrina said.  
"Have you guys seen Jughead?" Veronica asked.  
"He never came back?" Betty asked. "He said he was coming here to check on JB."  
"We need to find him now," Veronica said.  
\---  
Jughead woke up in a warehouse. He was restrained to a chair. "Who is there?" Jughead asked. To Jughead's surprise, his father emerged from the shadows. "Dad? What's going on? Don't tell me you're-"  
"Yes, I am the dolly killer," FP said.  
"How could you?" Jughead shouted. "You killed Betty! You almost killed Jellybean, your own daughter!"  
"Jellybean isn't actually my daughter," FP confessed. "She came from an affair Gladys had. I just found out a few weeks ago when I needed to find JB's birth certificate to transfer schools. She's your half-sister."  
"That's not a good enough reason to kill her," Jughead said.  
"You're right," FP said. "I found out that the person she had the one night stand with was a wizard. A wizard killed my mother. I then decided to hunt down every citizen of this town who has a witch in their family."  
There then was the sound of a gunshot and it hit him in the shoulder. Betty, Sabrina, Archie, Veronica, Cheryl, and Toni run-up. Cheryl freed Jughead. "I can't believe I shot the sheriff," Veronica said.  
"He was the Dolly killer," Jughead confessed. "He told me."  
The police arrive at the warehouse and they go outside. Betty then starts to disappear in the moonlight. Jughead then told them about the confession he got from FP, leaving out Gladys's affair. FP was put in the back of an ambulance, but he was also handcuffed. "What's going on?" Archie asked.  
"My murder was solved," Betty said. "It's my time to move on."  
"I'm going to miss you," Jughead said. Betty then kissed him. After a few moments, they pulled away.  
"I'm always going to be with you," Betty said, as she finished disappearing. The group then looked at each other quietly.  
"You guys want to get some Pops?" Archie asked.  
"Sure," Jughead sighed. They then head to Pops, Betty watching them from heaven.


End file.
